SPT commits £200,000 to secure vital local bus services

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) has today (Friday, 25th January) committed more than £200,000 to secure vital bus services across South Lanarkshire.

SPT’s Operations Committee agreed to award two long-term contracts for three bus services, which were placed in jeopardy after Irvine’s Coaches ceased trading in August.

Denis McKenna, Chair of SPT’s Operations Committee, said:

“I am delighted SPT has been able to subsidise these bus services on a more permanent basis. In many cases they are vital lifelines for the communities they serve.

“Every year SPT commits millions of pounds to provide essential services and it is great news that it has been able to step in and provide public transport to these areas after the previous operator ceased trading.”

The following contracts were awarded by SPT and will begin on 17th February 2013.

Stuarts Coaches was awarded the £37,700 contract for Service 48 Carluke – Lower Braidwood, which will run until 11 July 2015. The firm was also awarded the £113,100 contract to operate Service 243 Carluke-Law- Hamilton, which will also run until 11 July 2015.

First Glasgow was awarded the £137,727 contract to run Service 205 Hairmyres Hospital- East Kilbride – Hamilton – Torr Farm, which will run until 16th July 2016.